


simple things

by the_crownless_queen



Series: Sapphic September 2019 [20]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Gen, Lily's cat hates Marlene, Sapphic September, Sapphic September 2019, but he's still a good matchmaker, muggle!AU, neighbors!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:14:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25367401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_crownless_queen/pseuds/the_crownless_queen
Summary: "Tell me you're joking," Marlene had blurted out when Lily had said she was leaving her alone with Ginger. “What if he kills me?”“Ginger’s not going to kill you, Marls’, don’t be ridiculous," Lily replied.-- Ginger doesn't kill her, but he does, however, run away to their hot new neighbor's apartment.
Relationships: Marlene McKinnon & Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes
Series: Sapphic September 2019 [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1473389
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	simple things

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sapphic September 2019, Day 23: Cat.

The thing was…

The thing was, Lily’s cat hated her. No matter what Marlene did, how many treats she bought him or how much petting she did, Ginger would always hiss at her when he saw her, his claws popping out threateningly and his fur standing up on ends.

And since she and Lily lived together… He saw her  _ a lot. _

Which was why when Lily had announced that she was leaving him behind to go on a week-long holiday with James, her boyfriend, Marlene had panicked a little.

"Tell me you're joking," she’d blurted out. “What if he kills me?”

Lily had laughed, the furry menace purring as he rubbed himself against her legs. “Ginger’s not going to kill you, Marls’, don’t be ridiculous. He’s a cat, all you need to do is remember to feed him and change his litter, he can keep himself busy on his own.”

Marlene had eyed the aptly-named ginger menace, who’d hissed back at her, his tail standing up straight into the air.

“Suure,” she’d drawled, shooting Lily her most dubious look. “He’s definitely  _ not _ going to murder me in my sleep and eat my body.”

(She’d read about that in one of Lily’s true crime magazines, because her roommate loved those and left them everywhere.

At least they weren’t the podcasts, though — if Marlene woke up to  _ another _ gruesome description of a dead body, she might snap and commit murder herself.)

Lily had laughed again, shaking her head. “You’ll be fine,” she’d said, and well, she hadn’t been wrong, per se.

Two days after she’d left, Marlene was still alive. Still un-murdered by her best friend’s cat.

She was, however, about to get murdered for a whole different reason, when Lily realized she had  _ lost _ Ginger.

"This can't actually be happening," she muttered to herself, her panic growing. “Ginger? Where are you?”

She tried to open one of his favorite cans of tuna, but where it usually sent him running (yes, even towards her), now nothing happened.

No quick little steps running over the floorboards, no hissing at the sight of her, no ravenous feast on the fish…

Nothing.

“Shit,” she said, straightening up and running a shaking hand through her hair. “Shit.”

She laid down the tuna on the kitchen counter and went to check on the rest of the apartment. With any luck, Ginger had simply been trying to scare her and would jump on the tuna the instant her back was turned.

She found the open window in the bathroom ten minutes later. It wasn’t big, but a cat could definitely fit through there and wander off onto the roof or who knows where else.

“Shit,” she repeated fervently. She and Lily were usually so good at keeping the windows or doors closed to stop Ginger from running off and getting hit by a car or kidnapped — something that had apparently happened to Lily’s first cat as a child — but of course, the moment Lily had left, Marlene had screwed it up.

She was halfway through planning how to get on the roof herself and look for the cat when the doorbell rang.

“Coming!” she shouted out before groaning to herself and running a hand over her face. An interruption was the last thing she needed right now.

She almost tripped twice on her way to the door — first on the carpet by the shower, and then on the couch cushions she’d lifted off earlier to look for Ginger.

(Even what that cat wasn’t around, he was still trying to kill her.)

She swung the door open with a fakely polite grin, homing she didn’t look too out of breath, and instantly regretted everything.

Dorcas Meadowes, their new next-door neighbor, blinked back at her before offering a hesitant greeting.

She was carrying Ginger in her arms, and she, as always, looked  _ perfect. _ Frizzy dark hair framed dark brown skin, and her eyes seemed to shimmer with light.

Marlene’s hand flexed on the door and she only just managed not to reflexively swing it back shut again.

“Hi,” she said dumbly.

“Hi,” Dorcas repeated with an easy smile. “Sorry to bother you, but I think I found your cat?”

“He’s not mine,” Marlene blurted out. Her eyes went wide. “Shit, I mean, no — yes, he’s mine. Erm, I mean, he’s Lily’s, my roommate. I’m just keeping him while she’s on holiday with her boyfriend,” she finished, feeling like she’d just run a marathon.

“I… see.” Dorcas smiled, something relieved flashing through her eyes, and Marlene felt her knees grow weak. “Well, in any case, this little fellow wandered in through my window, and I thought I remembered seeing him around your place, so I just…” 

She shrugged, adjusting her grip on Ginger, and Marlene panicked.

“Careful!”

Dorcas froze. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” Marlene cleared her throat awkwardly. “It’s just… He’s dangerous. A menace. Maybe you should put him down?” Almost as if punctuating her point, Ginger seemed to realize Marlene was there and he turned to glare at her with his beady, shining eyes.

Dorcas stared at her like she was mad, her left hand absently petting the cat now. "You're the furthest thing from dangerous that I can imagine," Dorcas cooed down, and Ginger, that traitor started purring in her arms.

Marlene gaped. “That’s not… He’s not — He’s not like that with me,” she stuttered, her cheeks flushing red.

Dorcas laughed, the sound a revelation to Marlene’s ears. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It happens — I have a friend who says the same thing always happens to him.”

Marlene blinked, her grip on the door finally easing. “Wow, really? I thought I was the only one.”

“Definitely not,” Dorcas replied with a grin, huffing out another laugh.

Silence fell between them, but it wasn’t awkward. Marlene found herself getting lost into Dorcas’ face — a face she’d daydreamed about for weeks now, inwardly  _ and  _ outwardly (much to Lily’s exasperation by now, actually) — until Dorcas spoke again, arms extended towards her.

“So, erm, do you want to take him?” she asked.

(Was it her, or did Dorcas’ cheeks seem a tad darker?)

Marlene and Ginger recoiled in unison, Ginger’s loud hiss breaking the silence for good. Dorcas stared down at him in shock before looking back to Marlene. “Wow, you really weren’t lying.”

“Nope,” Marlene replied, half-smiling at her, half-glaring at Ginger. “That cat’s been trying to kill me since Lily brought him into our lives.”

“Well, it looks like you’ve survived admirably, then.”

Marlene snorted. “Thanks. But really, just put him down, he’ll come in on his own.”

“Oh,” Dorcas said, and this time, Marlene definitely wasn’t imagining it — Dorcas looked disappointed.

“Unless you want to come in?” she blurted out. Her cheeks were burning and she probably looked like a very unattractive tomato right now, but Marlene would probably regret it for the rest of her life if she didn’t at least  _ try _ to ask out their very, very hot neighbor.

“I could… make tea?” she suggested, her mind coming up blank on what the fridge contained — a sure sign groceries were needed.

Dorcas grinned back. “Tea sounds great,” she said. She set down Ginger, and the little beast darted through Marlene’s legs and into the apartment.

If she had to guess, she’d say he was heading straight for that tuna she’d taken out earlier, but she didn’t have the time, because Ginger’s mad dash tripped her up.

Right into Dorcas’ arms.

She froze, clinging to strong biceps with burning cheeks. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Dorcas replied, gently helping Marlene back to her feet. Her eyes trailed inside the apartment, and she arched an eyebrow. “That cat really has it out for you, doesn’t he?”

Marlene snorted. “You have no idea. But…” She took a deep breath, batting her eyelashes at Dorcas with a soft grin. “Just this once, I don’t think I mind.”

Dorcas’ lips stretched into a wider grin, her eyes shining with amusement. “Oh, really?”

“Really.” Marlene nodded, now feeling steadier. She opened the door wider. “That was a very nice save.”

“Enough to get an upgrade for the tea?”

Grinning, Marlene shook her head mirthfully. “Why, Dorcas, it’s morning still. Isn’t that a little early for alcohol?”

“I didn’t mean now, obviously,” Dorcas retorted, rolling her eyes. “But erm, I would like to go out for drinks. With you. Soon.”

Her heart tripping inside her chest, Marlene nodded. “That sounds… good. Great.” She blinked. “But erm, tea first, right?”

Dorcas laughed again, and stepped inside. “Yes, Marlene. Tea first sounds great.”


End file.
